Micah Challenge USA is Reborn

Micah Challenge USA, a faith-based organization committed to cutting worldwide poverty in half by 2015, is once again in operation after being dissolved for a lack of funding early in 2011, says Peter Vander Meulen, director of the Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice (OSJ).

Micah Challenge USA has returned, says Vander Meulen, thanks to the hard work and fund raising of a small group that includes representatives of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Bread for the World, World Concern, and the National Association of Evangelicals.

“OSJ is looking forward to closely cooperating with Micah Challenge USA again,” says Vander Meulen, who will continue for now to serve on the board of Micah Challenge International and will also be involved in an informal advisory capacity with Micah Challenge USA.

Micah Challenge International, which helps coordinate the overall anti-poverty campaign, has remained active throughout 2011.

In 2010, Micah Challenge USA saw more than 75,000 people participate in Micah Challenge Sunday services. The organization was also able to encourage more than 300 church and campus communities across the country to pray and to mobilize others to keep the anti-poverty campaign alive.

“We entered 2011 greatly encouraged by this growth, but on unsteady ground. As the campaign grew at a record pace, unfortunately our infrastructure, and core funding did not grow at the same pace—and this became detrimental to the survival of the campaign,” writes Jason Alfonse Fileta, who was and is now again director of Micah Challenge USA, in a letter announcing the rebirth of the organization in the US.

Micah Challenge USA was acquired in 2011 by the Accord Network, a network of Christian relief and development agencies that collectively work with over $5 billion of resources annually.

“I am honored to re-join the critical and kingdom work of Micah Challenge USA, and I’m hopeful for the future,” writes Fileta.

Fileta worked as field coordinator for the Micah Challenge out of the CRC’s Office of Social Justice until December 2010.

The Micah Challenge arises from the command of the prophet Micah who calls people to "do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Mic. 6:8).

Fileta says that Micah Challenge is a global movement of Christians that seek to speak out with a common voice against the injustices of poverty. It especially unites people to call their leaders to account on the promise made in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to cut poverty in half by 2015.

In 2012, Micah Challenge USA, says Fileta, will rely on prayer, various resources, advocacy and cooperation with other poverty-fighting organizations to futher the MDGs and to inspire people to live “justly in daily life.”

A list of 8 goals to cut poverty worldwide, the MDGs were adopted by 189 nations at the United Nations in the year 2000.

The Millennium Development Goals are:

• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in the lives of the 1.4 billion people worldwide.
• Provide educational opportunities for all children, especially for the millions who have to work instead of attend school.
• Empower women and girls so that they can attend school, receive the same pay as men, become representatives in government, and hold positions of power.
• End the deaths of children around the world who are dying every day from diseases that have been curable for over 50 years.
• Improve maternal health, since women continue to die from pregnancy and birth-related complications at a rate of one a minute, and 99 percent of them are in the global south.
• Combat diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. Over 30 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and nearly 15 million children in Africa alone have been orphaned by it.
• Start to integrate principles of sustainable development in families, communities, organizations and businesses.
• Work toward developing an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminating trading and financial system.

The Christian Reformed Church offers various ways in which people can become involved in the effort to break the cycle of poverty. Information and resources arealso available through OSJ's website and the website of the CRWRC.